Since I've been seeing a lot of questions regarding peanut allergies and DODMERB I thought it would be a good idea to post my story here.
I was diagnosed with a severe peanut allergy in 2006 (11.2/100 IgE with an upward trend) which was confirmed over several blood tests spanning from 2006 to 2012. I was not issued an epi-pen somehow, and just avoided peanuts for most of my life.
During my senior year of high school I started my application process for AROTC and NROTC, but given that I had a severe peanut allergy, I knew it would be an uphill battle for medical qualification given the military's strict policy against people with peanut allergies. Given this, I started oral immunotherapy where I would eat a designated amount of peanut cereal under the direction of my family allergist. She was initially hesitant to let me do this despite my severity but she knew why I was there and why I wanted to kick this allergy. (please note, some allergies are severe enough so that oral immunotherapy is not an option in the first place)
After this, I finished my immunotherapy three months later to the point where my allergist was comfortable with me doing a peanut challenge. I completed the said challenge and had it documented by my allergist and my physician. One important thing to note with this was that it was before my dodmerb exam. Being proactive is key in the military and the dodmerb process is no different.
I disclosed my peanut allergy to dodmerb and took the exam with fingers crossed. After a few weeks my status went to remedial at the request of a few clarifying documents and statements from my allergist showing my progression and history of reactions over the course of my immunotherapy. After these documents were sent, I was fully qualified and my remedial status went away.
I know DODMERB is a case by case basis, but taking the time to being proactive about an allergy like this is extremely important. However, you have to understand not all allergies are alike. For some candidates, their peanut allergies will be too high and there is very little hope of improvement or waiver acceptance. This is a part of the process and you must prepare for that outcome regardless. This is especially true for candidates who have been issued epi-pens and have consistent history with anaphylactic reactions.
Probably the most important aspect of this process, aside from the oral challenge is honesty. ROTC and the academies are built on a code of conduct. In my case, it is "A Midshipman never lies, cheats or steals, and does not tolerate those who do." Carry that mentality going into this process and your prospective military career. If you are willing to lie on a medical exam, you're going to be willing to lie on more things in the future. To be honest, my medical process, despite being tedious, was one of the easiest things I have done for ROTC so far. If you are starting by lying on something like that, then being an honest mid, cadet, etc is going to be an uphill battle, because it doesn't get any easier. If you do lie on this exam, and it is discovered later (it most likely will be, these things tend to come to the surface) the consequences will be so much more severe than if you disclose and are DQ'ed.
For me, my plan B was law enforcement, so I got a job that would help me in that field if I was DQ. Now, that option, regardless of my time in ROTC, is starting to seem like more of the path I want to take with my life instead (I am doing ROTC and law enforcement concurrently as of right now).
This part of the process is all learning and you will get through it. Just make sure to have a backup plan.
Edit: This was last year, not this year.
I was diagnosed with a severe peanut allergy in 2006 (11.2/100 IgE with an upward trend) which was confirmed over several blood tests spanning from 2006 to 2012. I was not issued an epi-pen somehow, and just avoided peanuts for most of my life.
During my senior year of high school I started my application process for AROTC and NROTC, but given that I had a severe peanut allergy, I knew it would be an uphill battle for medical qualification given the military's strict policy against people with peanut allergies. Given this, I started oral immunotherapy where I would eat a designated amount of peanut cereal under the direction of my family allergist. She was initially hesitant to let me do this despite my severity but she knew why I was there and why I wanted to kick this allergy. (please note, some allergies are severe enough so that oral immunotherapy is not an option in the first place)
After this, I finished my immunotherapy three months later to the point where my allergist was comfortable with me doing a peanut challenge. I completed the said challenge and had it documented by my allergist and my physician. One important thing to note with this was that it was before my dodmerb exam. Being proactive is key in the military and the dodmerb process is no different.
I disclosed my peanut allergy to dodmerb and took the exam with fingers crossed. After a few weeks my status went to remedial at the request of a few clarifying documents and statements from my allergist showing my progression and history of reactions over the course of my immunotherapy. After these documents were sent, I was fully qualified and my remedial status went away.
I know DODMERB is a case by case basis, but taking the time to being proactive about an allergy like this is extremely important. However, you have to understand not all allergies are alike. For some candidates, their peanut allergies will be too high and there is very little hope of improvement or waiver acceptance. This is a part of the process and you must prepare for that outcome regardless. This is especially true for candidates who have been issued epi-pens and have consistent history with anaphylactic reactions.
Probably the most important aspect of this process, aside from the oral challenge is honesty. ROTC and the academies are built on a code of conduct. In my case, it is "A Midshipman never lies, cheats or steals, and does not tolerate those who do." Carry that mentality going into this process and your prospective military career. If you are willing to lie on a medical exam, you're going to be willing to lie on more things in the future. To be honest, my medical process, despite being tedious, was one of the easiest things I have done for ROTC so far. If you are starting by lying on something like that, then being an honest mid, cadet, etc is going to be an uphill battle, because it doesn't get any easier. If you do lie on this exam, and it is discovered later (it most likely will be, these things tend to come to the surface) the consequences will be so much more severe than if you disclose and are DQ'ed.
For me, my plan B was law enforcement, so I got a job that would help me in that field if I was DQ. Now, that option, regardless of my time in ROTC, is starting to seem like more of the path I want to take with my life instead (I am doing ROTC and law enforcement concurrently as of right now).
This part of the process is all learning and you will get through it. Just make sure to have a backup plan.
Edit: This was last year, not this year.
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